Railway-crossing signal



Feb. 5, 1929.

O. A. REIT-Z mgm cRossING SIGNAL Filem b. s, 1928 Lf-L S C Inventor i @Mlle A Ratz RAILWAY CRSS'ING SIGNAL Y i Omzzze AReiiz By @M @52m ttormgy Feb. s, 1929. 1,701,011

O: A. REITZ RAILWAY cmossme srmxn Filed Feb. 5,' 19,28 a sheets-sneu 5 .fm-eww Orville Rez Patented Feb. 5i, 1929.

UNITED STATES ORVILLE A. REITZ, OF ULM, ARKANSAS.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application led. February 3, 1928. Serial No. 251,621.

rlhis invention relates to new and useful improvemen'ts in railway crossing signals and aims to provide a crossing signal. ot the electrical variety that is operated by the passage oi? a train within a certain arca of the trackway at opposite sides of the road crossing so-that motorists or pedestriai'is will be warnedot the approach of the train.

One oi' the most important objects of this invention resides in the provision o'i such a signal that is extremely simple of construction and that is positive in operation and one that may be installed at very mod* erate cost.

ln the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a transverse section ot a liif way at the point ot a railroad crossiig equipped with my imprm'ed signal, this ligure also indicating generally the mechanism associated with the train engine for completing an electrical circuit to the indicating means when the train approaches the crossing.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the signal casing that is arranged within the roadway, and that is equipped with an electrical signalling means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section across the track way and through the signal casing, this view also disclosing trac-mentar-ily the engine in elevation and partially in cross section tor bringing out the 'means opera-ting to complete the circuit between the signal units and a. storage battery located, in the engineci"s cabin when the engineapproaches the roadway.

fl "igure l is a diagrammatic view et the electrical circuit ot' the signal mechanism.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the primary signal unit, the lid et thecasing thereof being removed.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the engineers cabin ot the lo comotive that is equipped with. means for completing` the circuit between the battery and the signal devices when the train approaches the crossing, and

Figure l is a perspective oi the primary signal unit, the signal member being disclosed as in raised operable position.

Now having particular reference to the drawings A designates a highway across which runs a track way including the usual spaced rails B-B. In carrying out the present invention there is provided a pair of' ramp rails 5-5 oi'f great length that are arranged at the outer sides of' the rails iL-li and at oilipositc sides of the roadway A. Depending trom the floor ot' the engineers cab ot the locomotive .C is an arm G to the lower endoit which pivotcd a lever 7, the upper end of iif'hich extends through and is movable within a slot c in the floor of the engineers cabin ot the locomotive as clearly indicated in Figure 6.

Arranged within the engineers cabin adjacent the end ot the lever 7 projecting into the cabin is a leaf spring Contact member S that is adapted to be engaged bv the inner end ot the lever when the san is swung` 'trom the full to the dotted line posit-ion indicated in Figure 6.` Arranged upon the lower end ot' this lever 7 is a ramp engaging roller 9 that will engage the adiacent ramp 5 to cause the swinging oiU they lever :trom the full tot-he dotted line 'position as disclosed in said View. Suitable spring' means designated generally t" is provideil so as to return the lever to the circuit breaking full line position after the roller 9 has passed beyond the ramp 5.

Located within the engineers cabin of the locomotive is a battery'or other source ol electrical current indicated by the reference character I) one terminal of which connected to the spring' contact 8 while the opposite tcrn'iinal thereof is grounded to the ira-.emotive as disclosed in the diagrannnaiic View, Figure Ll. i

Arranged vertically at opposite sides ot the roadway A are posts 10-1() supported between which and above the road is a signal box l1 within which is an electric bulb 12 'that is electrically connected to the ramp rails 5-5 and to one of the track rails B as disclosed in Figure lwith the obvious result that when the train passes into that area ot the trackwav equipped with the ramp rails 5*.5 the circuit will be con'ipleted from the battery D to the bulb within the lamp box as is obvious.

Furthermore the invention consists of an additional and what is considered the primary signalling means, the same consisting of an elongated casing 12 having a removable lid 13 that is formed with an elongated slot 14. Pivoted within the easing directly beneath this lid is an elongated bar or flag statt 15, the inner end of which is pivotally secured to the cores of a pair of solenoids 16-16 arranged within the casing. The forward end of this bar or flag staff is equipped with a rigid material warning AHag 17 having suitable danger indicating characters thereon.

Said solenoids lf3-IG are as disclosed in a diagrammatic view in Figure el electrically connected to the adjacent rail B and to the pair of ramp rails 5-5 so that when the lever 7 is swung into engagement with the spring contact 8 the circuit will also be com pleted to these solenoids for ol yiously raising the bar or flag staiil out ot' the casing 12 to the position disclosed in Figures 2 and 7.

In view oi the foregoing' description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that I have provided a highly novel, simple and ei'licient railway crossing signal device that is well adapted for all the purposes heretofore designated, even though I have herein shown and described the invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a railroad crossing signal of the character described, a pair of current conducting ramp rails located adjacent the opposite rails of the trackway and at opposite sides oit' the roadway, a current conducting arm adapted for pivotal attachment to a locomotive adjacent one of the rails of the trackway and arranged to engage a ramp rail, the upper end of the arm movable within the engineers cabin of the locomotive, and adapted to engage a contact member when said arm is swung by the engagement of the lower end with the ramp rail, and electrical signalling means located adjacent the roadway in circuit with one ot the rails and said ramp rails and a source of current carried by the locomotive, said source of current being grounded to the locomotive and electrically connected to said contact whereby the circuit to the signalling means is completed due to the movement of the said arm when engaging said ramp rail, said signalling means consist-ing` of a casing disposed within the sur face of the roadway, a pair of solenoids within the casing electrically connected to the ramp rail and one of said traclrway rails, a flag staff pivoted adjacent one end within the casing, and having an indicating flag upon its outer end, and a pair of solenoid cores pivoted to the inner end of the flag stall' and slidable within said solenoids.

In testimony whereof I afiX my signature.

ORVILLE A. REITZ. 

